This invention relates to an improved tire cooling structure and means over my previous U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,794, as well as the art cited against that patent; namely, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,436,594; 1,464,590; 2,026,161; 2,166,927; 2,339,548; and 3,113,604.
Heretofore, it is well known that there have been many and various attempts made at external means to effect cooling of pneumatic tires. This prior art attempts to recognize that a rubber tire tends to become very hot, particularly in the tread, crown, and shoulder area portions during operation thereof, and more particularly operation at high speed on a fairly hot pavement. It has been shown by many and various tests that the ability to cool the tread and shoulder area rubber will greatly enhance the wear life of the tire, as well as preventing layer separation leading to blowouts. These prior art patents utilizing external cooling means have not proven highly effective, and have been expensive and cumbersome to install. Specifically, they have been too expensive to merit installation on automobile tires now in use today.
Nevertheless, it is a known fact that the mileage obtainable with an automobile, truck, or bus pneumatic tire may be greatly increased by being able to cool the temperature of tread and shoulder area portions during operation thereof at high speed. For example, a reduction in the operating temperature at the tread and shoulder area portions of between about 10 and about 20 percent will in most cases increase the wear life of the tire between about 50 and 100 percent. Thus, a simple, highly effective means to cool the tread, crown, and shoulder area portions of tires during operation thereof is needed by the art.